A lot of theater camps offer students a taste of bringing characters to life on stage, but The Edge Theatre is offering a chance for interested students to create an entire play from the script up.
The company’s first TeenEdge program will be offering spring and summer courses and will cover playwriting, development and staging.
The spring program will be Saturday, April 5, and Sunday, April 6, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and Thursday, April 10 and Friday, April 11, (performance), from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m.
The summer program will be Friday, Aug. 1, through Thursday, Aug. 7. Final rehearsal and performance is on Friday, Aug. 8.
“This is not going to be your typical theater camp,” Charles Novatka, director of TeenEdge Programming said. “We don’t want to censor a student’s work — they will write in their voice, with the language they hear.”
According to Rick Yaconis, executive artistic director at The Edge, educational programs is an important part of what the theater hopes to do, and teenagers who are just discovering their voices is a great area to focus on.
“Participants will be able to learn not just about writing, but also directing and producing,” he said. “We’re looking to establish relationships with area high schools and offer scholarships for students who might not be able to afford it.”
Novatka has an Master’s of Fine Arts degree in theater and teaches high school level English, and developed a similar program in Syracuse, N.Y., and said there’s nothing like it in the area.
“There’s something for everyone in what we’ll be teaching,” he said. “Whether or not you want to be in the spotlight, there’s something you can do in the theater.”
Yaconis said that throughout their experiences, he hopes participants get to sample a bit of everything the theater has to offer, and they ultimately learn the importance of following their ideas.
“Getting started on these things is half the battle,” he said.
For Novatka, the most rewarding part of working with teens is helping those who may feel out of place, and helping to share stories.
“For those who don’t realize what other kids there are going through, this also gives a new perspective,” he said. “Everybody has a story to tell, so to see the light in the students’ eyes when they find theirs is something.”
For more information, and to sign up, visit .